10 questions for the Bears looking ahead to Matt Nagy's first training camp

The Bears closed out their offseason program Thursday with a palpable buzz that will certainly carry into training camp next month.

Coach Matt Nagy’s energy has penetrated the organization during his first five months on the job, and general manager Ryan Pace and the front office were aggressive in continuing to renovate a roster in need of change.

Overlooking the practice fields behind Halas Hall, construction of the expansive addition was ongoing during the week. High above the action steelworkers installed beams and girders for the multilevel building that will eventually house football operations.

Nagy has often leaned on comparison to the construction while he builds his program from the ground up. He incorporated that in his message to players before sending them on their way for time off.

“I keep referring to this building that’s going up here to the right of me, and how each and every day this building keeps getting bigger and bigger,” he said. “It’s growing more and more. There’s a foundation.

“That’s what we’re doing as a team, so we’re now through the foundation part. We’re starting to (put) up some different parts of this team. They’re seeing now all that’s invested, so don’t waste it over the next five weeks.”

Of all the things Nagy learned in the offseason program, what was the most telling for a roster he hasn’t worked with previously?

“Probably more the camaraderie of the team and just understanding it,” he said. “You don’t know that coming in here — how are guys going to respond to a player or as … teammates, and then how are they going to respond to yourself as a head coach and (to) your assistants? You have no idea.

“I go back to my original message of just being you, and if I’m just myself, if our coaches just let their personalities show, then those guys will be honest. (The players will) let us know, we’ll communicate and let it fit as it may. They’ve helped make my job easier. I’m not going to be perfect all the time. I will make mistakes, but I’ll try to correct them.”

Everything is rosy during a new coach’s honeymoon period. The buzz was real in John Fox’s first offseason, as it was for Marc Trestman before him. The Bears figure to be more competitive coming off a 5-11 season and certainly should be more interesting with the addition of offensive skill-position players.

Here are 10 questions to be answered when the Bears get to Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais beginning July 19 and head into the preseason schedule:

1. Is Mitch Trubisky the real deal? Every major decision the organization has made since selecting Trubisky second in 2017 has been based on building the franchise around him. There’s reason to believe he’ll be a great fit with Nagy, but there’s also a ton of unknown with Trubisky coming off a rookie season in which he threw seven touchdown passes and seven interceptions. The significance of his development cannot be overstated.

2. Can the Bears finally stay healthy? Andre Tucker was hired as the new head athletic trainer and Jason Loscalzo as the new strength and conditioning coach. They’ll be charged with maintaining a healthier roster because the most important ability is availability. The Bears had 16 players on injured reserve last season and were forced to juggle at wide receiver, offensive line and outside linebacker. Twenty-one players landed on IR in 2016, and it’s impossible to think about the Bears making major improvements if they aren’t much healthier.

3. Is there enough talent and depth at outside linebacker? Pace will likely acknowledge the position needs some overhauling in the future, and the evaluation begins with former first-round draft pick Leonard Floyd. He didn’t look particularly smooth with a large brace on his right knee in minicamp, but the hope is he’ll shed the device before the season. This probably isn’t as big of a roster issue as some make it out to be, but it’s worth watching and Floyd is the key.

4. Can Allen Robinson regain form? The high-dollar wide receiver will be more than 10 months removed from tearing the ACL in his left knee. The Bears are paying him as a legitimate No. 1 receiver, and he’s expected to be full go when camp opens. Sure, Robinson will likely be afforded some days of rest here and there, and total recovery from ACL injuries is commonplace. Still, Robinson needs to prove he’s back, and sometimes players aren’t all the way back for 18 months or so.

5. Will the secondary have stickier hands? The Bears set a franchise record for fewest interceptions in a season with eight in 2015, then tied it in 2016 and ’17. The turnover ratio wasn’t out of whack a year ago because the defense proved particularly efficient at recovering fumbles. Ideally, the number of picks doubles, which might happen if the offense can provide some leads.

6. Is Jordan Howard a good fit for the scheme? Howard might not be ideal for Nagy’s offense given his struggles catching the ball out of the backfield, particularly last year. The Bears need to tailor what they do to the strength of their players, and Howard has a chance to make his future with the organization.

7. Can Kyle Fuller replicate an outstanding season? The Bears matched the offer sheet Fuller signed with the Packers — $56 million over four years, including $29 million in the first two — and now he has to live up to that contract. The Bears weren’t sure what they would get from Fuller entering last season in what looked as if it would be his final year with the team. Fuller is the fifth-highest-paid at the position with an annual average of $14 million, so he needs to be elite.

8. Will right guard Kyle Long return healthy and remain healthy? A grisly ankle injury in 2016 and a shoulder injury that dates to the 2016 preseason have hampered Long. Nagy expects him to be full go when camp begins, and the Bears need some continuity on the offensive line as they sort out what to do at center and left guard.

9. Is Trey Burton ready to be a playmaker? The Bears were one of many teams pursuing the former Eagles tight end in free agency, projecting a big uptick in production. He went from third on the depth chart in Philadelphia to the seventh-highest-paid player at the position with an annual average of $8 million. Burton has been healthy throughout his career, and Nagy instantly identified him as an ideal fit for the “U” position. Now Burton needs to produce.

10. How will Nagy juggle play-calling duties with being a head coach? His experience calling plays in the NFL is limited to the final month of last season with the Chiefs, and now he’s going to do that full time and be the top man on the sideline. There will be an adjustment period.